Tangled Destiny
by squeakyinuears
Summary: [AU, IYKA]: Fairy tales are the absolute truths, or so it has always been believed. But as Higurashi Kagome of the long, long hair is about to discover, fate and fortune are NEVER set in stone. Rated for Inu's mouth.
1. Ch1 As Old As Time

Tangled Destiny  
  
By Squeakyinuears  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the cast of Inuyasha in any way, shape, or form, but occasionally I'll have them over for tea and cucumber sandwiches.  
  
This newest story is influenced, in part, by the books "Goose Chase," by Patrice Kindl, and "The Fairy Godmother" by Mercedes Lackey, neither of which I own.  
  
And while I'm at it, I suppose I should mention that none of the fairy tales alluded to in here belong to me - they belong to the Brothers Grimm, Hans Andersen, and/or Disney.  
  
This has also NOTHING to do with "Shrek 2" coming out in theaters. 'Tis merely a coincidence, I assure you.  
  
I'd like to thank Alesyira for her comments at GT, and Kat Morning for beta-ing this chapter, as always - and I'm still rather stunned there were so few pink notes. O.o  
  
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Chapter 1 - As Old As Time

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"Hair brings one's self-image into focus; it is vanity's proving ground. Hair is terribly personal, a tangle of mysterious prejudices." - Shana Alexander

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-  
  
My name is Higurashi Kagome, and I hate my hair.  
  
Please do not mistake me. My hair, in and of itself, is actually quite beautiful. I am not being vain, I am merely pointing out a fact. It is long and silky with the ends slightly curling up in artless disarray. Blacker than a raven's wing, it almost shines blue in the light, and is soft to the touch.   
  
Why do I loath my tresses, then, you may ask? Well, I believe I have already mentioned that my hair is long. Not long, however, in the sense that it reaches past my waist, or even that it hits the back of my knees. No, it is much longer than that. Think yards and yards long; as long as the length of a large ballroom. As long as seven bed sheets, sewn end to end. As long as the height of a single, lone tower.  
  
That is how long my hair is. And let me tell you, all that hair is HEAVY. Having so much weight pulling on your head is no picnic, and now imagine carrying that weight day in and day out, with never any breaks or respites in between.   
  
And the CARE involved! With the majority of it dragging on the ground all day, I need to wash it every evening. Simply the act of washing takes me at least two hours each night. If I do not keep it clean, who knows what creatures will try to make a nest in it? The thought is enough to make anyone squirm - and to make me endure the nightly lathering.   
  
The sugar on the cake, however, is that when you have hair that is so long, people tend to want to exploit it. Take the Witch, for example. It is always, "Kagome, Kagome, let down your hair," in that reedy, cackling voice of hers.  
  
Even the Prince wants to use my hair for his own benefit. Prince Kouga, to be exact. He is a wolf youkai who hails from the neighboring kingdom, and attempts to persuade me each day to put my hair to better use.  
  
Allow me to explain. I live in a tower. Many people do, but none live in MY kind of tower. My home is a lone structure standing four stories high, deep within the wild forests. There is no door, and exactly one window, high at the top story. And not even a bay window, at that.  
  
It has been my home for seventeen years, and I have never stepped foot outside. Not for lack of trying, though, believe me. Unfortunately, I only have one bed sheet, one blanket, one kimono set, and one under-kimono to my name. (No need to cringe - they are spelled to be both self-cleansing and self-mending). There are no curtains, no scissors, no needles, and no thread - nothing I could use to create a means of escape. Four stories is a bit too high for me to jump, and I have no intention of breaking my neck just yet.  
  
In many ways, it is a lonely life, I must admit. My friends are the birds, the squirrels, and the occasional deer that visit the tower. Sometimes I talk with them, but the conversations are, of course, sadly one-sided. Other times, I make up my own songs, and sing to an audience who cannot boo and jeer at my less-than-perfect warbling. Pathetic, I know.  
  
There are some perks, however. With practically nothing to do, I can devote almost my entire time to books. They are my windows to the outside world, and they range in subjects from the Histories of our kingdom to the ways of life on a farm.  
  
I may not be able to cook, or sew, or milk a cow, but I am confident I would certainly know HOW to do it, if ever given the opportunity.   
  
It was the historical fairy tales of princes, dragons and sleeping maidens that drew me as a little girl, however. One story in particular, I found, greatly resembled my own. Many people have heard the story of Rapunzel, or Kikyou, or whatever you choose to call her; but most people do not discover their own life in the pages of a book. It is more than a bit disturbing.  
  
Generations before I was born, there was indeed another girl who was forced to stay locked up in a tower by a scheming witch, and she too possessed abnormally long hair.  
  
Apparently, Kikyou met a prince and they fell in love. Unfortunately, the witch in HER life found out about them, and tossed the prince out the window, where he most likely fell to his death. Either that, or he was blinded by the thorn-plants below, and wandered around sightless for the rest of his life. The Histories disagree upon this point.  
  
Of Kikyou, however, my books are quite clear. She was so aggrieved that she purposely pricked herself with the spindle of a spinning wheel and instantly died, losing her pain in death.   
  
Luckily, our lives seem to split well before that point. While this Kikyou girl was cast into her fate because of pregnancy cravings and salad rampion, I am of the opinion that my life, to put it simply, just sucks.   
  
Still, Kikyou's story is a rather sad one. . . very well, it is a really sad one. I know I should probably be more sympathetic about their plight, but it is difficult endeavoring to cry over people who died long ago, and whom you have never met.  
  
The resemblance between the lives Kikyou and I were similar enough, however, that I studied the Histories avidly as a child, determined that my destiny would not be the same as hers. In this topsy-turvy world of mine, one must be ready for any kind of magical interventions thrown one's way.   
  
My world is actually made up of dozens and dozens of small kingdoms. And each and every one of them is held under sway by the Histories of the past. The Histories cannot be expected to be completely accurate to the letter - different situations in each life are factors that will change the flow of each tale - but time has proved that they are ALWAYS correct by the end.   
  
The prince still wakes up the sleeping girl with a kiss, no matter if he reached her by cutting through a thorny garden or if he had to kill a dragon. The maid-who-never-had-a-tan-in-her-life is still presented with different trials, no matter if she was first given spelled combs and deadly laces, or if the impatient queen went straight to the poisoned apple (or even if she did not have vertically-challenged men helping her). The end result is the same, no matter the varying circumstances in-between.  
  
It is rumored that in a different world - in many ways similar to ours - there are people who do NOT believe in magic. Such a world sounds dreadful to me. How can those people not believe what is right in front of them?   
  
Magic has such a permanent and solid place in my life it is hard to imagine a place without it. Not to say that it is always a good and benign thing, however. One look at the Histories will reveal that the endings are tragic ones more often than not. Yet, or better or worse, the magic is THERE. Our fairy tales are both the history books of the past and prophesies of the future. Knowing the roles you are expected to play is vital.   
  
I now consider myself well versed in the matter of fairy tales.   
  
As such, I knew immediately upon the appearance of a certain wolf that he was TROUBLE. It mattered not whether either of us were willing - simply the fact that he was a PRINCE, and I, a girl in a tower, signified that he suited the role and would be practically compelled to play out our miserable fate.   
  
Prince Kouga was out hunting one day in the woods and chased a stag through the trees until he came to my part of the forest. He heard me singing. As the stories go, he was supposed to become dazzled with my heavenly voice, and search for the owner of said voice. That is not exactly what happened, in my case.   
  
It has already been said that my voice is by no means beautiful. I shall expand upon the matter a bit further and say that it is closer to a goose's honking than a nightingale's song. Though he will never admit it, I believe Kouga was first attracted to me because he mistook me for some sickly or injured animal calling out in its last moments on earth - and then, when he was close enough, he was attracted to my face.  
  
It matters not exactly why we met, however, because it resulted in the same manner. Step One of the story was complete.   
  
History then says that the prince, in his bewitchment, would seek to enter the tower, but unsuccessfully. After returning many times to hear my songs, and after falling in love deeper and deeper, he would then finally grow bold enough to address me.  
  
Again, the books were not entirely accurate.   
  
Prince Kouga is not shy. The day he blushes like a maiden is the day I manage to sing in tune. It did not take him trip upon trip before he could get up the nerve to make his presence known. Not hardly. Moments after he dashed into the clearing - and right after his youkai nose informed him I was NOT prey - he saw my face, announced to me in his bold, brash way that I was "cute", and declared me his "woman".  
  
Exactly how he made this decision without any consent on my part remains a mystery to me, but decide he did, and he has subsequently managed to convince himself that we are meant to be. Step Two was achieved.  
  
Accordingly, the prince is then supposed to implore me to tell him of the entrance to my high tower, whereupon he could woo me and plight his troth.  
  
Now, I may have been raised in a tower, and I may be naive, but the first thing a girl learns is to never, ever let a stranger inside the house. Moreover, I am NOT ignorant to the evils of the world. The Witch - whom I am certain is really a baboon-outfitted magician in disguise - is living proof of that.  
  
Even aside from tales of pigs with hairy chins and girls in red, I was NOT about to let some strange wolf trap me in my own room! It mattered not that he was of royal blood, or that his eyes were a striking shade of blue, or even that he tried to entice me with those legs of his. Well, this was one tower-maid who refused to be seduced!   
  
The next phase of the conventional tale is for the prince to enter the tower, win over the maiden, and consequently bring dreary doom down upon them both.  
  
Frankly, I do not wish for any kind of doom to befall me, particularly the dark and dreary kind. Should the final stage of the story occur, most likely Kouga will be horribly disfigured - if not killed outright - and I will be convinced that death is the only solution to my agony. As annoying as he can be, I do not wish such a terrible end to Kouga. And, I would also like to stay alive and spindle-free.   
  
Therefore, I am bound and determined to remain unmoved towards the Prince's pledges of devotion, and to ignore his attempts to persuade me to "lower the ladder of love."  
  
Said task is not so very difficult when the target recites such bad poetry and insists upon using such embarrassingly corny language.  
  
No, my main difficulty lies in preventing the Witch from ever discovering Kouga's existence. I am not entirely sure whether even simply seeing the Prince will constitute adequate reason for our sad demise. Though it did not happen in the past, a girl can never be too careful.  
  
However, Prince Kouga is very stubborn in his affections, and WILL come to visit me every single day. His loyalty is endearing, I must admit, and if it were not for the ghostly spindle I can almost see hovering before my eyes, I believe that I really COULD come to love him.   
  
Unfortunately, I do love my own life quite a bit more than any potential feelings I may hold for Kouga, and as such, my life is currently rather stressful, to put it lightly. In fact, it is a daily terror, struggling to reason an extremely willful and ardent man into leaving before the sun sets.  
  
That is when the Witch comes to my tower each day - at dusk, when the sun is setting and the birds are flying home to roost. As a child, I used to view the darkening sky with both anticipation and dread. Excited, for that was when my meals would arrive, and scared, because. . . well, who would not be frightened of a white-furred crone? One who cackles, might I add? The Witch claims to be my "mother", but I know better. After all, there is no way he/she could have borne anyone as lovely as me.  
  
Again, do not think I am vain. When I was born, four fairies each bestowed upon me a gift. Yes, four, not three. Now, the first fairy presented me with the gift of intelligence, and to her, I am eternally grateful. It appears, though, that she was the only one who had an actual head on her shoulders, because the other three gave me all the usual things. Beauty, grace, lips like rose petals and of all that useless fiddle-faddle.   
  
How, I ask you, can anyone survive on big blue eyes and long eyelashes alone? No, I think I will put my trust on intelligence, thank you very much.   
  
But I digress.   
  
The last fairy gave me a rather unusual gift, even for someone not of this world. And I must say, it was the most worthless present of all. I am of the opinion that this particular fairy was an apprenticing one, for she chose to give me - of all things - LONG hair. Yes, I speak the truth. Long hair is all that this Mura, or Yura, or whatever-her-name-is woman bestowed upon me.  
  
It is she, who gave me the cause of all my sorrow, the bane of my existence.   
  
Who knew fairies had hair fetishes?  
  
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(The following translations is courtesy of Aino-kaachan, from her website. Thank you, Aino-kaachan!)  
  
Japanese Translation:  
  
youkai - The most common English translation is "demon". However, youkai is a broader term, referring to many sorts of (Japanese) mythological creatures and monsters with magical abilities.  
  
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A/N: Alright, I realize I have some explaining to do. . .  
  
First of all, like I said up top, this story is influenced, in part, by "Goose Chase" by Patrice Kindl and "The Fairy Godmother" by Mercedes Lackey. "Goose Chase" is a wonderful book, and I guess I'm basing this fic in terms of general things, such as tone and humor for the most part. As much as I love the book and want to read it again, I am restraining myself, as I do not wish to inadvertently start copying the actual ideas and words.  
  
From, "The Fairy Godmother", I am borrowing the idea of "Tradition" (and all that it entails), in here simply known as the Histories.  
  
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For the readers of TYRTM out there - do not worry! I am not abandoning it in any way. I DO intend to finish it first.  
  
So, why on earth would I start yet another fic? Well, here's the thing. I have noticed that a few well-known authors are also intending on writing IY stories of a similar nature - fairy tales and such - and since I didn't want to be accused of stealing ideas from them, I decided to put out the first chapter of this story, to put my stake in it, so to speak.   
  
This way, no one can say I copied them.   
  
This chapter was most fun to write, and I believe it will be, on the whole, just a very fun story. Definitely not as dark as some of my other ones. I also don't believe it will be a very long story, either. Then again, TYRTM originally started out as a simple, 12-chapter romance, and we all know how well THAT plan turned out. . .  
  
A big thank you to everyone who is reading this! Remember - it will probably not be updated for quite a while, but thank you all the same for reading! 


	2. Ch2 Twist of Fate

Tangled Destiny  
  
By Squeakyinuears  
  
Disclaimer: I own an Inuyasha plushie. . . but even then. . . ::sighs:: . . . it just isn't the same thing as owning the real Inuyasha.  
  
Pre-A/N: This newest story is influenced, in part, by "Goose Chase," by Patrice Kindl, and "The Fairy Godmother" by Mercedes Lackey, neither of which, I own.  
  
This chapter borrowed some ideas from the song, "Happily Ever After" from the delightful musical, "Once Upon a Mattress". More information as to which ideas were borrowed will be given at the end of this chapter.  
  
Additional Note: The Princess Tsuyu mentioned in this chapter appears in volume 3 of the Inuyasha manga and episode 8 of the anime. The girl Koharu, mentioned in this chapter, appears in volume 15 of the Inuyasha manga and episodes 41-42 of the anime. If you have not read/seen up to there - SPOILER for you!  
  
My deepest thanks to Ithilwen for her comments at GT, and Kat for beta-ing this chapter and helping me brainstorm!!   
  
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Chapter 2 - Twist of Fate

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"We must never feel sorry for ourselves. No matter how bad it gets, it can always get worse." - Ever After (the book) by Wendy Loggia, based on the screenplay by Susan Grant, Andy Tennant, and Rick Parks  
  
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"Better be wise by the misfortunes of others than by your own." - Aesop

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-  
  
I have always believed with unshakable certainty that mornings are excellent times for sleeping. There is none of this business of waking up with the sun or even rising before dawn in my story, like in so many other tales. No, for my part, all that I am supposed to do is lower my hair, first for the Witch, and then for the Prince.   
  
The former I must do, if I am to receive my daily meal, but the latter I simply refuse to see through. So long as the Prince stays outside, and I inside, we should be safe. . . for now.  
  
The sun shines through my curtain-less window straight into my eyes. If it can do so from where I am reclining on my futon, then it must be time to rise. I stretch and yawn, and make my way nimbly over my hair that is piled every-which-way in my small, circular room. After years of dodging around potential tripping zones, I barely need to look at where I place my feet. I was not blessed with grace for nothing.  
  
There are no birds to greet me when I open the window. None appear to help me with my chores and sing along as I begin the day. This is most likely because I cannot sing, as stated before. The animals like me well enough, I suppose, as animals go, but they tend to scatter when I clear my throat in preparation for a solo.   
  
The very first time I sang as a small toddler, birds and rodents flocked to my window, and many other woodland creatures gathered around the tower. I cannot blame them for making assumptions on my voice. After all, I was practically perfect in every other way even then - why should I not possess a heavenly voice?  
  
Poor things. It was quite a shock for them, therefore, when I did at last open my toddler-mouth and proceeded to scare away every living thing for miles around. As I recall, it was months before any wildlife dared to draw near the tower again.  
  
A breeze blows in, carrying with it the fresh scent of dew and blooming flowers. I breathe in deeply, closing my eyes and lifting my face up to the sun. I adore mornings, do not mistake me. I only wish that they began later in the day, when I am fully functioning and can properly appreciate them.  
  
This is not the first time that life has ignored my wants and desires, however, and it will not be the last. After all, did I ASK for all of this hair? No.  
  
I suppose I shall have to give Yura some credit, though. While I will never be grateful for my hairy predicament, I must admit it could have been worse. A lot worse. She could have given me split ends. Or dandruff. Or. . . lice. Those things are infinitely much worse than just long hair.  
  
Moreover, I almost became a pale-skinned Snow White myself. I had all the qualifications of one, at first. Black hair, red lips, long eyelashes. . . As for the skin - all that had to be done was to keep me away from any sunshine and voila, one translucent girl is made. But luckily (or unluckily), the last fairy gave me long hair, and my life was sent spinning off in another direction - another tale.   
  
I am still debating as to which fate is the worst off. On the one hand, the original Snow White was carried off by her Prince Charming, no doubt to live contentedly ever after, if not happily. Whereas my prince, if I do not intervene first, will bring upon my agonized end. On the other hand, Snow White was "killed" by an apple, which, in my mind, is not the best way to go, either. And then she was revived while still "dead" in her coffin, by the kiss of her prince.  
  
Prince Kouga may not be the sharpest weapon in the armory, but even HE is not clueless (or desperate) enough to kiss a corpse. Aside from everything else, that story has always seemed a bit too morbid and revolting for my tastes. I suppose I am rather glad I did not become another Snow White.  
  
And. . . at least Yura had the forethought to add, while she was phrasing her "gift", that my hair would never be horribly knotted. I could have been strangled as a babe or smothered to death under my deadly locks but for the condition that my hair would never tangle, never snarl, never twist into some hideous knot. As it is, I have never had a tangle in my life.   
  
Which is indeed, a very good thing, as the Witch has never bothered to supply me with a brush.   
  
Amazingly, my hair will naturally untangle itself even out of the messiest situations. Why, I daresay I could even retire to bed with wet hair, not that I would ever wish to. Were I foolish enough to do THAT, my hair would soak the bed and I would probably end up quite ill. I have no intention of playing the sickly maid - that would only bring about more trouble. Rumors of my illness would spread through the land, and princes would be popping up left and right, confident that they would cure me and win my hand. I am certain countless of them would bring golden apples that reputedly cured every and all illnesses.  
  
Once they beheld my beauty, they would immediately fall under the power of the Histories, and adore me. And then I would be back to the very same dilemma that I am in presently. Although, I am quite sure a legion of suitors would be far more difficult to hide from the Witch than just one.  
  
I slip on my kimono, tying the obi in deft, swift motions, despite the ebony locks that get in the way. When you have been doing this practically all your life with only a guidebook on how to tie an obi, you learn pretty quickly.  
  
Outside, I hear a telltale whirlwind coming closer, along with the sounds of pounding paws on earth. Prince Kouga has arrived to court me once again.  
  
I peer out the window. Ah, yes. There he is, standing below with his hands on his hips, ponytail thrown back to play in the wind. Kouga's wolves settle down panting, knowing they will be here for quite a while. We all know this dance well enough by now.  
  
"Kagome, my love! Good morning." He smiles up at me, fangs flashing.  
  
I sigh, wishing I could just tell him to leave, but I have a few books on etiquette among the other volumes, and good manners deigns me to return the greeting. "Good morning to you too, Prince Kouga."  
  
"Kagome, how many times have I told you? As my woman, there is no need for you to be so formal." His eyes implore me, lightening-blue in their intensity. "Forget my titles, forget everything else. What do they matter? Standing here before you, I am but a man in love."  
  
I sigh again, barely hiding a wince. And so it all begins once more. It is up to me to direct the Prince and I across the floor of our fate each day so that our last dance ends before the sun touches the western horizon. It is never easy guiding our steps with so much caution - be it the first time or the hundredth - and I grow weary of our seemingly-endless waltz.  
  
I cannot stay in this tower forever. I have been successful in keeping Kouga a secret from the Witch and vice versa. But for how long? I cannot expect for things to continue on as death-free as they have.   
  
No. I shall have to escape on my own.  
  
Sounds simple enough, but there is a slight problem. The Witch has made sure I have no means of leaving the tower - not without assistance, anyway.   
  
I would just tie my sheets together to use as a rope. . . if I actually owned more than one. I would cut off my hair and use that as a ladder. . . if I had scissors or anything sharp. I would sew all of my fabric together. . . if I possessed a needle and thread. I am woefully lacking in the proper tools for fleeing - which is the entire point, I believe.  
  
It has always seemed a bit unfair to me that so many girls in other tales receive some sort of assistance, whereas I have none. Nothing. Zip. Very well, so perhaps my life - the beginning and middle of it, anyway - is not as harsh as theirs, but what about the ending? The conclusion of my story results with my DEATH! Is THAT just? I think not.  
  
Look at Koharu, for instance. She is the most recent girl to have played out the role of the classic Cinderella story. Yes, her life was certainly very hard. Forced to work from dawn until dusk, covered in grim and soot. But when she matured into a lovely young maid, she was whisked away by HER handsome prince. Now, granted, she deserved some happiness in her life, but I sincerely doubt that she could have achieved her new status as princess (and later, queen) without that crazy lady with the wand. And mice. That is right. Koharu had outside help!   
  
Her tale involves a fairy godmother, whereas mine does not even hint at one. I believe that is quite unreasonable. I have no fairy godmother, nor have I even a godmother. I have a mother, if you can call the Witch that, and someone had to have brought me into this world, I suppose. I have no information on the actual woman who gave birth to me, however. The Histories long ago decided my kind of story needed no detailed mention of my true parents, and so I have never read anything essential on them. I suppose I should be grateful enough at least, that they did not trade me for a few leaves of rampion.  
  
Whatever is the case, though, the fact remains that I am not allowed a fairy godmother - though for some reason the Histories saw it fit to send three foolish fairies (out of the total four) to my crib. Very well. So it was not written in my life-tale for me to possess a fairy godmother. I can accept that. But if things are not bad enough, there are still many other forms of assistance being denied me!  
  
Even going back to that creepy Snow White life-tale - one of its more recent retellings in the Histories follows the story of Princess Tsuyu. An evil queen jealous of Tsuyu's beauty cast her out of the kingdom to have her murdered by a huntsman. However, the good huntsman (who went by the name of Nobunaga) took pity on the girl, naturally, and bade her to flee into the forest. Now, things could have ended right there for the poor maid, but her story sent some men to her aid. Granted, they were quite small, but there were seven of them all the same. SEVEN! Seven persevering men working day and night just for her, heigh ho-ing all the way.  
  
Now, whom do I have? A prince who still seems to be stuck in the dark ages, several hungry-looking wolves, and an oily-haired antagonist with a penchant for prancing about in a monkey suit.  
  
To be sure, Princess Tsuyu did not have it easy, either - and I certainly would not want to go through with the kiss-in-death-thing myself - but in the end she was still carried off to live with her man. I also seem to remember it being noted in the Histories that she never thanked the seven loyal men. She was simply swept away on a white stallion, with nary a glance behind. No visits later on, either. No reunions, no get-togethers. Now, there is gratitude for you.   
  
I, most assuredly, would thank any and all who would assist me.  
  
I have brought out these two examples to plead my case, but I must point out one key part that I am wholeheartedly glad I do NOT have in common with the rest of these girls: I refuse to base my entire life's happiness on a man. Both Princess Tsuyu and Koharu's story ended with them being carried off in their beloveds' arms. I have always wondered why it must be so.  
  
It nettles me to think that a maiden's sole joy must be centered on her ability to snare a man. Be he a knight, a tailor, a miller's son, or a prince - practically ever story pairs the girl up with someone of the masculine gender. It is as if they think we are too daft to be happy by ourselves. Then again, perhaps I am biased. I am, after all, gifted with intelligence, while the same cannot be said for my peers. I only recall one other story in which the heroine is actually stated to be wise. One.   
  
Therefore, I must confess I am glad in a way, that my life-tale DOES hold such a wretched ending. It gives me all the more reason to ignore Kouga's fervent declarations. Now, if only I could find a way to step off this doomed path of mine.  
  
Still, it may seem odd why I do not simply have Prince Kouga rescue me and run AWAY from the tower. One would think that with the tower out of the picture, the rest of the awful tale would disappear as well. Things are never so straightforward when the Histories are involved, I am afraid to say though.  
  
If Prince Kouga were to release me from my imprisonment - indeed, if ANY man were to rescue me - I would be virtually impelled into falling in love with my "hero". And that would be a terrible, terrible thing. Love, I have read, is a powerful force that causes people to do very stupid things.  
  
Witness Kouga, for that matter. I am sure he does not leave his kingdom normally on a regular basis, but ever since he has met me, he has come every day. It is actually quite irresponsible of him. His loyalty should be to his kingdom, his pack. But of course, he is in love. And when a person is in love, one cannot expect them to act logically.  
  
If I were to fall in love with Kouga or any other rescuer, I would most definitely lose the common sense I do possess. With our lives hanging in the balance, I need all my wits about me. Who knows what brainless decisions I might make? Indeed, it is very possible that I, in my sudden passion, would invite my beloved UP to the tower, and therefore bring about the very thing I am so determined to evade.  
  
I cannot afford to fall in love.   
  
I do not NEED a man at all. What I NEED to do is escape.   
  
"Kagome, I have brought you flowers. I heard women like that sort of thing."  
  
I shake myself out of my reverie, and look down. Indeed, Prince Kouga has a cluster of wild flowers in hand. They are nice enough, and I believe I might even appreciate them were they actually of some use!  
  
"Don't you like them, Kagome?"   
  
My displeasure must be showing on my face. "Oh, my prince, they are lovely, but I fear I am allergic to flowers." I really am. They give me the nastiest symptoms. My eyes water, my nose itches, and I simply cannot stop sneezing.  
  
"Well then, how about I bring you something else, tomorrow?" He tosses the blossoms off to the side, and studies what he can see of me from the small window. "Maybe I should bring you a wild boar. You're too skinny, and I need you to be strong enough to bear my pups."  
  
I choke. Honestly, how prehistoric can one man get? He needs to stop living in the past and realize that this is the Sengoku Jidai. We are FAR more civilized than that nowadays. "Ah, Prince Kouga, I thank you for the offer, but I do not eat meat."  
  
He scowls. "You don't?"  
  
"Nay." I shake my head. "I have never eaten flesh in my life." This is also true. The Witch only brings fruits, vegetables, bread, and water. And, occasionally, some milk.  
  
Kouga frowns deep in thought, looking at his feet. After a moment, his brow clears and he turns his gaze to me, his world making sense again. "That can easily be fixed, Kagome. Once I get you out of here, I'll just have to remember to feed you lots of meat. You'll get used to it, and should fatten up in no time." He grins, immensely pleased with himself.  
  
"'Feed me lots of MEAT'?" I nearly turn green with the thought. Animals may not be my most adoring fans when it comes to my vocal skills, but they are the only friends I have. How can I ever. . . ever EAT them? Knowing that a drumstick I hold in my hand might have once been the leg of a dear, feathered companion?   
  
I grimace, so sickened by the thought that I nearly missed the rest of his comment. Shaking myself out of my nausea, I turn alarmed eyes back down to the wolf youkai. "A moment, my prince. I fear I must have misheard you. Did you just say you were going to get me OUT of the tower?"  
  
"Yeah," he nods. "I've been thinking about if for a while now. Since you are up there and I down here, our love cannot be consummated. Obviously, the only option is to bring you to me. I still need to think of a solution, because I can't just break the tower down - you'd be hurt if I did. But I'm sure if you'll just be patient a bit longer, I'll have you in my arms in no time."  
  
This time I think I really AM going to be sick. My knees wobble, and I give in to the weakness.   
  
"My love, what's wrong? Are you alright?" Kouga's voice rings out from outside.  
  
I pull myself back up to the window, face no doubt a ghastly white. "I apologize, my prince, but I fear I am feeling a little under the weather this day. You must excuse me while I retire for a bit." I disappear from view once again, not waiting for his response.  
  
"Are you SURE you're okay? I could always bring you some liver - that always helps my pack when they're sick."  
  
I groan, leaning against the wall below the window. "Yes, Prince Kouga, I do not require any," I shudder, "liver. Why do you not go hunting for yourself and your wolves for a while? It is almost time for the noon meal, I believe, and you must all be hungry." Hopefully he will take the hint and give me some peace. With this newest piece of information, I need some time to clear my thoughts and review my plans.  
  
"I guess." His voice is reluctant. "Well, if you're sure. . ."  
  
"I am positive I shall be all right after a brief rest, my prince."  
  
"Okay, then. . . I'll see you later."   
  
A whirlwind whips up and fades away, as do the drumming of paws, letting me know they are gone for the moment. Finally, I allow myself to collapse completely.   
  
Out of the TOWER? I cannot let him RESCUE me!! If I did, I would be practically throwing myself on Death's door. Better yet, why not just save on the cost of the trip and find a spindle right away? Prince Kouga CANNOT save me! I absolutely refuse to fall in love with him, and I surely will if he plays the part of my hero! No, this cannot happen! It must not.  
  
I cover my face with my hands as a headache ensues. When I asked for help, I did not mean the type of help that will get me KILLED! Kouga has just unwittingly hastened our ultimate demise unless I do something about it right away.   
  
I need to escape and I need to escape NOW.  
  
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A/N: First of all, like I said up top, this story is influenced, in part, by "Goose Chase" by Patrice Kindl and "The Fairy Godmother" by Mercedes Lackey.   
  
"Goose Chase" is a wonderful book, and I guess I'm basing this fic in terms of general things, such as tone and humor for the most part. As much as I love the book and want to read it again, I am restraining myself, as I do not wish to inadvertently start copying the actual ideas and words.  
  
From, "The Fairy Godmother", I am borrowing the idea of "Tradition" (and all that it entails), in here simply known as the Histories. Going with that, I borrowed the concept of damsels falling in love with their rescuers, and the specifications that Kagome would not have any tangled hair.  
  
Secondly, I have borrowed the ideas of Cinderella's fairy godmother being outside help - and consequently how she only has a mother - and seven dwarfs working day and night for Snow White, from the song "Happily Ever After" from the musical "Once Upon A Mattress".  
  
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::Sighs:: As for readers of TYRTM - I'm really sorry chapter 16 is taking so long in the making, truly I am. I know I said that this story wouldn't be updated again very soon, and I totally intended on working on chapter 16 of TYRTM right after, but. . . TYRTM's Kagome is remaining fairly silent right now, while the Kagome of this story keeps chattering to me. And who am I to question when a plot bunny does attack?  
  
I DO intend to focus on chapter 16 after this. . . I'll see if I can get it finished within. . . two weeks? ::Hides::  
  
Hope everyone enjoyed this second chapter as much as they did the first!   
  
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::Cracks knuckles::  
  
Alrightie, then. On to the review responses!!  
  
Wow, so many reviews from people I know!! ::Feels a bit overwhelmed:: Thank you, everyone, for reviewing!  
  
Evilblackcat - Well. . . ::points to the summary:: Since it says, "IYKA" as the pairing. . . I'm pretty sure Inuyasha is going to be in this story. ::Winks:: And you're right - I can't really see Inu as an smooth Don Juan, either. Don't worry about that. I've his part figured out. It's the other things. . .   
  
Dini - Well, you asked for more. . .  
  
The Purple Ghost - Hee! I'm glad we both like fairy tales, then! And from the looks of it, you're planning on writing an interesting IY fairy tale fic yourself. I look forward to reading it when it comes out! And, if you're looking for more IY stories with fairy-tale twists, I do know that Zeh Wulf also has a new story out, called "Without Words". It's based on the original litter mermaid tale.  
  
Wackoramaco87 - Yes! Another person who has read "Goose Chase"!! It's such a wonderful story! I love the way the story is told, I love the humor involved. Hence why I have still successfully managed to stay away from it in the library, lest I REALLY start to copy the ideas. . .  
  
Nokomarie the Snake - Well, I guess you didn't have to wait very long for another chapter, after all. . . ::Laughs:: Inuyasha slamming face-first into the tower wall? It's certainly a funny guess, but. . . hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
  
Cataluna - I'm still kind of in shock that you read my story. . . thank you very much for the compliment! I hope this story continues to delight!  
  
The Literary Dragon - Hee, yes, I did read "The Fairy Godmother", and I did like it. . . but - I think you should read "Goose Chase"!! It's even better! Who else from the IY cast in going to show up? Well, so far, there's been Kikyou, Kouga, Naraku, Yura, Tsuyu-hime, Nobanaga, Koharu. . . the main cast will eventually all be introduced. . . hopefully, along with plenty of minor ones, I believe.  
  
Sweet little country girl - ::Laughs:: Yes, I did have a lot of fun writing this. Like I said before, this is really just supposed to be a fun story in general. . . unless I suddenly get attacked by an angst bunny. . . o.O  
  
Sashlea - Oh, then you should definitely read "Goose Chase" by Patrice Kindl. It's such an awesome book! (Have I said that enough times to enough people?)  
  
Jenna - Thank you very much! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.  
  
Midoriko-sama - Mido-chan!! Aww. . . I'm sorry the error thing at GT ate your comment. . . you want to know a secret, though? ::Whispers:: All you have to do in those cases, is to just refresh the page. It usually works. For myself, I copy the message just to be safe. This way, if I really do lose the post, I can always just re-post, you know? Thanks for your suggestions - I'll keep them in mind. And my Honors Senior English class had to read Dante. . . so many levels!!   
  
I think that's it! ::Stretches:: Once again, a big thank-you to everyone who read and reviewed!!  
  
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Bleh. I'm sick. The stress has been building for the past two weeks, and the result is that I have come down with a cold. Knowing my luck, it'll be a full-blown fever by tomorrow. ::Grumbles:: If you guys never hear from me again, you'll know the reason. . .

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Hi everyone! I've decided to start the same thing here at TD as I have at TYRTM. Here's this chapter's "Fic of the Week"! Please note that none of the future stories I list below are chosen because the author has asked me to, or anything like that. Said stories are chosen because they are all wonderful, but for some reason or another (lack of exposure, bad timing, etc.) don't have as many people aware of the story. Or, it could just be that just I really, really love a story and want to share it with the world! Or it could be all those reasons!  
  
I'd also like to add that suggesting fics for future "Fics of the Week" is perfectly fine. However, I will be focusing mainly on good stories that are NOT as well-known. Moreover, if I have already recommended a story by a certain author, I will NOT be recommending any other stories by that same author. At least, not for a while, because I'd like to give other authors a chance as well.  
  
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This week's selection is "The Twilight Struggle" by DQBunny. Summary: Five years after Naraku's defeat, those who fought the war for the Shikon no Tama are drawn unwillingly into the wars that mark the Sengoku Jidai.  
  
I am ashamed to say I haven't even had time to review for her yet (I've been so busy), but I wanted to share this story with everyone.   
  
The summary may make it sound like another Naraku's-defeated-so-now-what-do-we-do kind of fic, right? Well, this story is so much more than that! She only has 6 chapters up at the moment (the first being a prologue), but they are so fascinating, and so well written that when I first came upon the fic, I was supposed to have been studying for a Japanese exam, but instead I was glued to the computer screen instead.  
  
I love the way she deals with Inuyasha and Kagome's relationship. It's so touching and sweet. . . and I won't say anything more beyond that.  
  
I have learned an important lesson from That Nanda, though, and I would like to warn everyone right away that this story DOES involve a character death. . . it's not a main character, per se. . . but. . . just be prepared, everyone.   
  
In any case, I hope everyone gives this story a try, and DQbunny - I hope you don't mind me putting you in the spot! 


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